As the carefree days of summer wind down and the structure of the fall rounds the bend, its time to start thinking about curricular activities. While sports and school clubs are great, I like the idea of encouraging a teen to take on a hobby or activity that does something positive for others. There are tons of fantastic volunteer possibilities everywhere around the country, but if you're in the NYC area, definitely check out one of our favorite charities, Baby Buggy.
This terrific organization, which supports families in need by providing essential baby products and other support, is inviting local youth ages 13-16 to get involved in a six-week volunteer program through their new Baby Buggy Youth Service Corps.
There are tons of ways to participate in hands-on volunteer projects, all aimed to help build leadership skills, and to get kids engaged with their community through service and action; like helping to organize and distribute the millions of donations that come in, and even by leading their own donation drives.
As parents we say yes, yes, yes! Teaching young adults the value, impact and joy of giving is a beautiful thing, especially when it helps less fortunate families right in your own city.
This really gives students the chance to see from the inside how important community support organizations like Baby Buggy are, and to understand the effort it takes to keep them going. And I hope that's a lesson that Service Corps members will carry with them into the future, even impacting the way they choose to live their lives as adults in the future.
If your 13-16 year old is in the NYC area, apply for membership to the Baby Buggy Youth Service Corps online at Babybuggy.org by September 14. If a six-week run is too hard to commit to, you can also look into one-time commitments like organizing donation drives or donating birthday and Bar Mitzah gifts.
